Improvement in seed-planters



M. &' S. PENNOCK.

Grain-Driil.

Patented Mar. 12,1841.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES PENNOOK AND SAMUEL PENNOOK, OF EAST MARLBOROUGH, PA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEED-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1,999, dated March 12,1841.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Moses PENNOCK and SAMUELPENNOOK, of East Marlborough, in the county of Uhesterand State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Grainand Seed Drill called the Lion Drill, and we hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description of the machine and the mannerof using it, together with the part which we claim as our invention.

First. A double rectangular frame of wood, A B O D E F. The beams A B, I0, and E D are each six feet eleven inches long, two and one-fourthinches wide, and three and threefourths inches deep. The beams A E and BD are each four feet nine inches long, and ofthe same lateral andvertical dimensions as the former. The three former are fitted bymortise and tenon to the two latter, the beams A E and B D projectingnearly three inches beyond the beams A B and E D. To the front beams A Band O F is attached either a pair of shafts or a tongue, so as to usethe machine with one or two horses. lt is indeed an advantage to haveboth, to be taken off or put on at pleasure, according to the kind ofwork to be performed. ltis obvious that when the machine is in operationthe part A B of the frame is foremost.

Second. The beams A E and B D are perforated midway between F and E andbetween O and D with holes, through which pass t'wo iron screws nearlyan inch in diameter and four inches long, with square heads. These arescrewed into the wooden beams AE and B D at right angles to them andparallel to A B. Each of these screws terminates in a smooth roundobtuse point, which fits and turns in a socket or thimble of cast-ironor steel fixed immovably in each end of the axle of the machine.

Third. The axle O O, made of wood,is six feet six inches long and threeand one-third inches in diameter. Itis parallel to the beam A B. On theextremities of this axle and inside of theframe are placed the wheels GG H H. They are each three feet in diameter, composed of solid plank,with aniron band, or composed offellies and spokes, at pleasure. One ofthese wheels is fixed firmly on the axle, so that they must revolvetogether. The other is adjusted to turn, when necessary, on the axle,being kept steadily to its place by two semicircular plates screwed tothe side of the wheel, embracing the axle, and running in a groove cutinto it.

Fourth. On the axle are fitted, at intervals of nine inches, sevencastiron spur-wheels, each wheel containing twentyeight teeth. Thesewheels are severally composed of two semicircles, and are firmlyattached to the axle by screw-nails passing through ears, which projectfrom their sides, into the wood.

Fifth. About ten inches behind the axle of the machine two uprightposts, T T, are mort-ised into the beams A E and B D, and at the heightof sixteen inches support, by means of mortise and tenon, a horizontalbeam, II, parallel to the axle, six feet eleven-inches long, two incheswide, and two and one-fourth inches deep. On the upper side of this beamare placed at intervals of nine inches seven rectangular staples, 77,large enough to allow a square slider, 8 an inch and a half in the side,to play freely in each of them. These staples may be made of cast-ironand secured. to the beam I I by screws, or of wrought-iron with tangspassing into the frame.

Sixth. Seven wooden sliders, S K, two feet in length and one andone-half inch square, rest at right angles on the beam I I and slidebackward and forward in the staples described in the last article. Thehinder end of each slider is formed into a handle. The slider playslengthwise thirteen inches, having a notch on the under side near itsforward end, at K, which, when the slider is drawn back, falls on andfits to the beam I I. Just beyond this notch is a pin projecting fromthe under side of the slider, which prevents it from being drawn out ofthe staple. Thirteen inches from the former is a second notch, at S, onthe under side of the slider, which, when it is pushed forward, fits tothe beam I I. These notches are cut to nearly half the depth of theslider.

Seventh. Immediately behind the notch S in the slider, and between itand the handle, is a vertical mortise three inches long and onehalt'aninch wide, through which passes loosely a tenon working on a pin, with ascrew-nut, which passes horizontally through the slider. A joint is thusformed which plays backward and forward with facility. The tenon justmentioned is formed on the upper end ofa vertical lever, L M, abouttwenty inches long and two inches square at the lower end, taperingtoward the top. The lower end, L, of this lever falls into an open clampof cast-iron, which is screwed to the beam E D, having an iron pin topass horizontally through the lever and sides of the clamp, so as toform a fulcrum on which the lever plays backward and forward. By meansof these fulcrums or joints at the ends of the vertical lever the slidermay be readily moved so that either notch shall fall on the beam I I.

Eighth. A second or horizontal lever, L N, is fitted at right anglesinto the vertical lever L M, by mortise and tenon, immediately abovethelowerfulcrum. Thishorizontallever, which points forward, is aboutfourteen inches long, one inch wide, and from three inches at theshoulder to one and one-fourth inch at the extremity in depth. Thislever and the vertical one to which it is attached compose a bent lever,(bent at right angles,) having the fulcrum near the angle. Of course,when the slider attached to the upper end of this compound lever isdrawn back, so that the notch K falls on the beam I I, the forward end,N, of the horizontal arm will be elevated; but when the handle of theslider is pushed forward, so that the notch S falls on the beam I I,this extremity of the lever must be depressed.

Ninth. A frame, V W, to support the hopper is fitted at one end by acast-iron open clamp to the beam F G, where it works with a verticaljoint and extends horizontally over the axle. This frame consists of twopieces, each three feet two inches long, three inches wide, and one inchdeep. (In the drawings, theframe is represented as composed of one pieceonly.) These pieces are connected near their ends by two turned studs ofwood with round tenons, so as to give the frame a width of about eightinches. The stud connecting the side pieces at their hinder end,V, restson the horizontal arm L N of the compound lever, and rises or falls asthe latteris elevated or depressed. When the machine is in operationthis stud lies in the compound lever, and is retained there by an angleofthe cleat nailed on the arm L M a short distance above the angle. Thevertical joint at the beam F O is formed by an open clamp, secured tothe beam by screwnails, which embraces the end of the frame and holds itto its place by a cylindrical projection from each side of the clamppassing into a hole in the frame. Tenth. The hopper I? for containingthe seed is the frustum of a wedge, ten and one-half inches by seven inthe clear at the top and five inches square at the bottom, the depthbeing aboutteniuches. Twostrips of woodare nailed inside of its smallerend, so asto leave the opening about five inches in the direction of theaxle of the machine and alittle more than three inches in the transversedirection. On these strips repose the sides of a cast-iron grate,whichforms the bottom of the hopper. Four iron screw-nails, passing throughholes in the sides of this grate and through the strips of wood on whichthey rest into the wooden frame, secure the hopper in its place. Theopening in the hoppers bottom is divided by small bars in the iron grateinto five apertures, threeinches long in the direction transverse to theaxle, the middle and the two outside apertures being each aboutthree-eighths of an inch wide and each of the other two seven-eighths ofan inch. To adapt these apertures to the various kinds of seed or grainto be sown, a number of wooden bottoms, a b 0, are formed to fitinto thehopper and not on the grate. In each of these one or more apertures, 11,are formed, corresponding exactly with an equal number of those in thegrate. Thus for wheat or rye a bottom must be used having an aperturecorresponding to one of the larger ones in the grate, and for Indiancorn a bottom with an aperture corresponding to the other; but forclover-seed a bottom must be employed with three apertures correspondingto the three small ones in the grate.

Eleventh. Directlyunder the hopper is aroller, y, four and one-fourthinches long and about four inches in diameter. Its axis is parallel tothat of the principal axle. This roller turns on an iron axis whichpasses through it, and works at each end in a box secured by screwnailsto the under side of the frame on which the hopper rests. To one end ofthe roller is fixed by screw-nails a cast-iron spur-wheel concentricwith the roller and turning with it on the same axis. The circumferenceof this spur-wheel and thenumber of teeth correspond exactly with thoseof one of the wheels describedin the fourth article. When the machine isin operation the teeth of the spur-wheel on the roller work in those onthe axle. They of course revolve simultaneously.

Twelfth. A number of holesin the roller are made to a small depth atregular intervals, to receive from the hopper through the apertures inits bottom the seed or grain to be scattered. These holes in regard tonumber and size are calculated to receive the quantity of seed designedto be dropped at one revolution of the wheels. Thus, if in that partofthe roller which revolves underone of thelarger aperturesin the hoppersbottom wehave ten holes, each capable of receiving a grain of Indiancorn, so situated as to divide the circumference of the roller into tenequal parts, the grain will be dropped a little more than eleven inchesapart. In like manner for any other kind of grain, the contents of oneline of holes in the circumference of the roller must be equal to thequantity designed to be discharged through the corresponding aperture inthe hopper-bottom during-one revolution of the wheels. The roller runsclose to the grated bottom of the hopper, which isrendered concave tofit the convexity of the former. Thereis of course no way for the seedto escape from the hopper but by falling into these holes. If the frameof the grated bottom at the extremity of all the apertures was made tofit close upon the roller, it might frequently happen that a grain ofthe larger kind-as Indian corn, beans, or even wheathaving fallen partlyinto a hole in the roller and remaining partly above it, would be caughtagainst the side of the grate and cut in two. To prevent thisdestruction of the seed, an indentation is made on'the under sideof thegrate, opposite the hinder extremity of each larger aperture, of a sizeto admit the passage of a grain. This indentation is filled up by asmallwooden bolt furnished with a shoulder resting against the grate, so asto prevent the bolt from being pushed forward to press upon the roller.Aspring fixedon the outside ot'the hopperpresses against the outer endof the boltand keeps it in its place. When a grain partly in a holeinthe roller, but standingabove i ts surface,

is brought in contact with the end of this bolt, it pushes it backagainst the spring, which, yielding to the pressure, either permits thegrain to pass through and drop with the others or by a rebound throw itback into the hopper.

Thirteenth. Immediately under the roller is thedrillU,themouthofwhichislarge enough to catch all the seed that falls from any part oftheroller. Thedrilliscomposcdchietlyot'cast-iron, the opening at the topbeing about eight inches square and the depth fourteen inches. The frontcurves a little toward the point, which projects forward like the colterof a plow.

The opening at the lower extremity is aboutone and one-half inch long byone inch wide. The front plateot the drill as well as thclower half ofthe side ones from the point upward are composed of cast-iron. The backplate and upper portion of the side ones may be made of tin or zinc.Across the top,on the hinder side of the drill, is extended an iron rodor bail, having a loop in the middle, to which a ropeis attached tosupport the drill. (In the drawings the bail is not used, the cordrepresented as passing through a hole in the drill.) The drill is castwith a socket projecting from its front plate, about two inches squarein the clear. Into this socket a lever, G O V E, is firmly fitted,withits end pressing against the drill. The lever is two inches wideandthree inches deep at the drill, where it extends one inch below the opensocket, whence it tapers to a depth oftwo inches at the other end. Thelength is two feet four inches. On the under side of this lever is astrong iron strap, N 0, two inches wide and two feetlang. This strap atthe forward end,V 1*], or that farthest from the drill, is fastened tothe lever by iron bolts passing through them. At the hinder end,N O, thestrap is a small distance from the lever, and has on its upper side,secured by screwnails, a wedge of wood of the same width as the strap,ten inches long, and from one and one-fourth inches deep at the base orhinder end to one-half an inch at the other. Through this strap, thuscompounded of wood and iron, nearthe end NO, passes aharrow-toothfourteen inches long and one inch square at the strap. The hinder sideof this tooth through the lower half ofits length is straight. The widthfrom the strap downward is gradually reduced and the front formed into aconvex curve, so as to terminate in a dull point. The upper half oftooth.

this tooth is reduced to a cylinder five-eighths of an inch in diameter,leaving a shoulder on the back part of the tooth which presses againstthe under side of the iron strap. ()n this 0 lindrical part a screw iscut, which, after pass ing through the iron strap and the contiguouswedge, is screwed into the leverGrOVE. By

this screw the depth which the tooth runs into lever by the bolts abovementioned, which pass through the lever and iron strap, is a iorkedhinge eight inches long, spreading at the forward extremity nearly nineinches. This hinge works at the extremities of its branches in a pair ofiron strap-hooks, which are secured by screw-nails to the front of thebeam A B. A narrow strip is fixed by screwnails to the front of the beamA B, running lengthwise with it, just above the hooks, to prevent thehinges from slipping out of them. On the lever between the hinge and thedrill is a small open box, H A, for holding a weight when necessary tosink the drill more deeply into the ground. The rope attached to theloop in the hail of the drill passesinto an open mortise in the end N ofthe horizontal arm of the compound lever described in Article 8,andhasaloop thrown over a pin in the same. This rope is prevented fromslippingoutof theopen mortise by a screw-nail passing horizontallythrough the lever a short distance beyond the rope.

Fourteenth. As there are seven spur-wheels on the axle of the machine,there are seven rollers and seven drills ofthe kind above described. Thedistance from the middle of one wheel to that of the other is just sixfeet, and the seven drills are so located as to divide this space intoeightsectionsofniueincheseach. Oonsequently when all the drills are usedthe seed is deposited in rows nineinchesapart; butthese drills and thelevers that sustain them are connected with the frame in such mannerthat any one or more of them can be taken off and the others left foruse.

Fifteenth. To each of the two outside drills is attached, in a manner tobe taken off or put on at pleasure, a box, X, by side straps of iron, soas to allow a vertical motion, but keeping the box directly behind thedrill. This box is composed of boards and is open at top, the dimensionssix inches by ten in the clear, so as to contain a small weight. On theunder side of thisbox are fixed two shovel formed teeth so located as tocast a ridge of earth on the line traveled by the point of the drill.

Sixteenth. When the sliders described in the sixth article are pushedforward so that the notch S nearest the handle falls on thebeam I I, thehorizontal arm L N of the compound lever assumes its proper horizontalposition, the drill is at liberty to sinkinto the ground, the hinderstud ofthe frame V W, which supports the hopper, rests in the angle ofthe lever, and the teeth of the spur-wheel on the roller fall in withand catch upon those of the principal axle. Consequently the revolutionof the axle caused by the progressive movement of the machine must,under this circumstance, cause the roller to revolve. Of course, whenthe sliders are all in the position just noticed the machine is in gear;but when the slider is drawn back until the other notch, K, falls on thebeam 1 I the forward end, N, of the compound lever is elevated, thedrill is raised out of the ground, and the teeth of the roller arelifted clear ot'those on the axle. When all the sliders are thussituated the machine is totally out of gear. From the mannerin which thesliders are situated, it is clear that any one or more of the drills maybe thrown out of gear without affecting the others. This is a greatconvenience in case of point lands.

Seventeenth. In the middle ofthe beam E D a hole is bored horizontallyto receive a bolt, on which is made to revolve vertically a lever orarm, S E, five feet two inches long and two inches by three and a halfin its other dimensions. This arntr, when in a horizontal position,rests in a hook which is formed of an iron rod six or seven inches long,bent at right angles, with one branch secured to end of the beam A E orB D and the other standing vertically. This hook serves to retain thearm in its place while in use. When the arm is placed in a verticalposition, as it must be when turning at the end, the handles of thecontiguous sliders, being drawn back to throw the machine out of gear,retain it in its place. To this lever is fitted a slider, W A, six feetlong and one and one-half inch square. It slides along the lever or armS E in two strong iron clasps which are fixed on the lever. These claspsare composed of iron rods with one end fixed on the lever S E and bent,so as to embrace the slider. This slider may be drawn out to variousdistances, so as to compose with the lever a compound arm of variouslengths. These lengths are marked by numbers on the slider passing afixed point on the lever S E. Two portions of the slider, near its outerend four or five inches apart, are cut into a cylindrical form, each ofthese cylinders being about two inches long. Round these cylindricalportions of the slider are bent two iron straps, the ends of which areriveted to the flattened end of a tracer, S S. These bent straps thusform eyes, by means of which the tracer is kept at right angles to theslider and permitted to revolve upon it in that position. The tracer isthree feet nine inches in length. Thelower end of the tracer carries aninstrument called the marker, A G. This marker is composed of a plate ofstrong sheet-iron cut into a rhomhas ten inches in the side and bentalong its shorter diagonalnearly into a right angle. Into this dihedralangle, or angle formed by thetwo frames a block of woodis fitted,through which and the center of the rhomboidal plate a round hole ismade to receive the end of the tracer. The marker is thus firmly fixedon the end of the tr: ceriu such manner that when the arm S E is broughtto its horizontal position the marker will be on the ground with itsridge or dihedral angle pointing forward and inclined to the horizon inan angle of about forty-five degrees. When the machine is set in motionthis marker, acting in the manner of a shovel-plow, will trace on themellow ground a shallow furrow, along which the horse on his return maywalk.

By properly adjusting the length of the arm composed of the lever S Eand slider W A, the machine may be driven backward and forward acrossthe field in parallel lines at such distances as the nature of the casemay require.

The manner of using the machine may be briefly given as follows: In thefirst place the ground must be well plowed and harrowed so as to bereduced to a smooth and mellow condition. For wheat or rye all thedrills are adjusted to their places and the machine put in gear, asdescribedin the sixteenth article. The wooden bottom, with an apertureover the line of holes in the roller designed for wheat, must be putinto each hopper and the proper supply of seed put in. The machine beingthen put in motion, the rollers are turned by the spurwheels on theaxle. The seed discharged from the holes in the rollers falls into theopen drills belo\v,and, descending to the point, is deposited in theearth as the point plows its way through the mellow soil. The earth,falling back into the furrow of the drill, covers all the seed which isdeposited at the bottom. Seven parallel rows nine inches asunder arethus lodged in the earth by each passage of the machine. The sliderdescribed in the'seventeenth article must be so far drawn out that thehorse.

or one of the horses, returning along the furrow made by the marker, maycause one wheel of the machine to follow the line traced by the outerdrill. In this manner a uniform distance will be maintained between thecontiguous rows. Upon coming to the end the lever S E, which carries themarker, must be raised to a vertical position, the handles of thesliders drawn back to throw the machine out of gear, and all things leftin that situation till the machine is brought to its proper place forcommencing its return. The handles of the sliders are then pushedforward and the marker brought again to rest on the ground. In case ofpoint lands the proper number of drills may be kept in use and the restthrown out of gear. For Indian corn the drills next to the wheels areretained and the other five taken off. In this case the shafts and asingle horse will be most convenient. The proper wooden bottom and therequisite quantity of seed being put ,into each of theoutside hoppers,the slider.

must be drawn out, so as to make the arm of the marker nine feet long.To these drills may now be attached the boxes X, described in thefifteenth article, with the needful weight in each. A straight linebeing then traced across the field, two rows four feet six inches apartare planted and a ridge of earth thrown on each of them by the teeth inthe box. At the same time a path is formed by the marker for the horseto follow on his return, so as to make the following row four feet sixinches fromtheformer. Thenumberofgrainsdropped at each revolution of thewheels will correspond to the number of holes made in circumference ofthe roller. For beets or rutabaga the middle and the two outside drillsmay be used; but in that case the screws 12 in the bottom of theseed-holes forwheat,as represented in the drawings, Figs. 2, 3, are tobe screwed out even with the surface of the roller, in the end of whicha hole is drilled sufficiently large to carry out at least onebeet-seed. The arm of the marker must now be made six feet nine inchesin length. The rows in this case will be twenty-seven inches apart. Forcloverseed all the drills are taken off; but the hoppers are allsupplied with seed, and the second bottom in each has three apertures,corresponding to the three small ones in the grate. The holes in therollers are calculated to distribute five quarts on an acre. To scatterthe seed regularly over the ground, aboard, f, five feet six incheslong, ten inches wide, is suspended obliquely under the rollers. Thisboard is furnished with narrow strips 9, nailed across it,

so as to scatter the seed as it falls from the rollers regularly alongits whole length. The suspension of the board is effected by attachingto it at right angles, sixteen or seventeen inches from its ends, twoslender arms, h, the extremities of which work on the under side of thebeam A B, in the place of the two penultimate drill-levers described inthe thirteenth article, and two ropes, i, fixed to the board near itsends, are attached to the contiguous arms of the compound levers.

What we claim as our invention, and which we desire to secure by LettersPatent, consists 1. In the arrangement of the spur-wheels for thepurpose of connecting the seed-roller Y and hopper P to the shaft 0, asbefore described.

2. The combinationof the rectangular staple 1' the beam I, the slider S,the compound lever L M N,and the hopper-frame V W, for the purpose ofthrowing the hoppers in and out of operation when sowing point and otherland without stopping the horse, as well as for planting seeds thatrequire cultivation in rows, and also for raising the drill U above orallowing it to sink into the ground a sufficient distance, in the mannerabove described, or in any other substantially the same.

February 16, A. D. 1841.

MOSES PENNOCK. SAMUEL PENNOOK. Witnesses:

SAMUEL JACOBS, CALEB JACKSON.

